"Senior, coveting what others admire is hardly the behavior of a gentleman."
Chen Mobai, who had experienced much, spoke rather diplomatically. Ming Yihua, who was about to start an argument, held back upon hearing Chen Mobai speak.
"Dear juniors, I am about to participate in the millennium celebration of the Red City Cave Heaven, where I will compete with Foundation Establishment cultivators from other academies. If I had the Xuan Yang Cauldron, it could bring glory to our Refining Department. If you would yield it to me, it would be a contribution to our academy."
Chen Mobai couldn't help but sneer at these words.
"Senior, it's better to have some shame." Ming Yihua mocked, and the youth with narrowed eyes flashed a look of embarrassment and annoyance.
Chen Mobai ignored him and left the student council directly.
"It's a pity, I haven't gotten my hands on the artifact fragment yet. That Xuan Yang Cauldron might be claimed by that guy soon." After leaving the western-style building, Ming Yihua shook his head helplessly.
"You could also spend 800,000 Good Deeds to get that sealed Qi Containment Sphere."
"Forget it, what's meant for me will come, what's not won't. Without the Xuan Yang Cauldron, maybe I'll get a better magical artifact. Let's leave it at that."
Ming Yihua was neither willing to spend so much Good Deed nor to owe a favor to the student council members. That was just his nature.
Chen Mobai knew this, and the two browsed the stalls in the plaza once again.
Behind his black-framed glasses, he used his Hollow Vision to inspect all the sealed Qi Containment Spheres, memorizing any discernible outlines and details.
He planned to compare them with the information in the All Treasures Catalog later that night to see if he could snag a third-tier magical artifact.
***
Time quickly reached noon, and the two met up with Mi Yudao and found a place to sit down.
"The person you encountered should be Yuan Jinjun. Among the student council, he's the least principled, but his talent in cultivation is astonishing, one of the few Foundation Establishment experts in the academy."
"What level of expert is he?" Chen Mobai was skeptical about the caliber of experts on the Immortal Gate side.
"Foundation Establishment fourth layer. To reach this level before graduation is already among the very top."
Although Mi Yudao had little respect for Yuan Jinjun, he still admired his cultivation level.
"Foundation Establishment fourth layer? Who's the highest realm among the academy students?"
Chen Mobai felt reassured after hearing this and fell silent, but Ming Yihua was interested and asked.
"If we don't count those who have applied for extended graduation, the highest cultivation naturally belongs to the student council president Zuo Qiushi, who is at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment." Mi Yudao spoke with admiration when mentioning this.
"Foundation Establishment seventh layer? What grade is he? If he hasn't graduated yet, isn't he under thirty?"
At the Refining Department, new students usually start around twenty years old.
A ten-year college career, reaching Foundation Establishment seventh layer before graduation, speaks to a terrifying talent.
"President Zuo is precisely in his tenth year. He was already at the second layer of Foundation Establishment when he enrolled. That means, in ten years at the academy, he broke through five realms, averaging two years per minor realm."
That's just okay, not as good as Zhong Li Tianyu. Chen Mobai thought to himself, while Ming Yihua was amazed.
"Is the president also practicing the Divine Transformation method?"
"Of course, if he weren't practicing the Partaking of Sameness and didn't have the corresponding materials ready, who could cultivate so quickly?"
Mi Yudao nodded, but even so, for Zuo Qiushi to reach the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment before graduation, he was already the most talented in the Refining Department in the last thirty years.
"What realm is Zhong Li Tianyu at now?" Chen Mobai suddenly asked, always curious about this legendary figure from the 5012 class, who was elusive.
Except for showing up during enrollment, he had since been heard of but not seen.
The news was always about his shocking progress of breaking through one realm each year.
"Judging from the last move he made, turning earth into steel, he should be at the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment." Mi Yudao was cautious and did not dare to assert, choosing his words carefully.
The 5012 class was valued by most senior students of the Refining Department because of the extraordinary talent of Zhong Li Tianyu.
He was the next Zuo Qiushi.
"Are there only one person at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment in the academy?"
Chen Mobai asked again, realizing after two battles that only those in the later stages of Foundation Establishment could pose a threat to him.
"There are two more, seniors who have extended their graduation, but they haven't shown up for several years."
Although Mi Yudao's cultivation wasn't impressive, he had a thorough understanding of the Foundation Establishment landscape within the academy, quickly informing Chen Mobai of the current personnel composition in Red City Mountain.
Students from ten grades, plus those who applied for extended graduation, totaled around six to seven hundred.
Among them, half were at Foundation Establishment and half at Qi Refining.
"Our Refining Department averages Foundation Establishment around the middle of the seventh year, and I'm right on that average.
You two, one at Foundation Establishment in the fourth year and the other in the fifth year, have far exceeded the average line. Even in the All Treasures Cave, you are geniuses. As for people like Zuo Qiushi and Zhong Li Tianyu who were already at Foundation Establishment upon enrollment, we usually call them 'monsters.'
Most of the seniors and sisters who extended their graduation have become teaching assistants. A small part are always in seclusion, living apart in the All Treasures Cave, waiting for the perfect moment after reaching the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment to exchange their accumulated credits with the academy for a 'Fire Essence Golden Elixir,' so they rarely come out."
After Mi Yudao finished speaking, he was full of emotion, and this was also his future life.
Although he had successfully reached Foundation Establishment and could be considered a hero in his hometown, if he wanted to form a Golden Elixir, the academy was his best chance.
"Fire Essence Golden Elixir" was a unique fourth-tier elixir of the Refining Department, which could increase the success rate of forming a Golden Elixir by ten percent for cultivators practicing fire attribute techniques.
For Foundation Establishment cultivators of other attributes, the effect of this elixir was halved.
Although Mi Yudao was not of the fire attribute, if he could exchange it, he could completely trade with cultivators from the Mending the Sky Academy and Jumang Academy for a "Earth Essence Golden Elixir" suitable for himself.
As for the best holy medicine for forming a Golden Elixir, "Golden Liquid Jade Return Elixir," only the Immortal Gate could produce it.
Therefore, the top talents from the four academies with connections would try to join one of the three halls of the Immortal Gate after graduation, hoping to serve the country or participate in pioneering wars to accumulate exchanges for spirit items and elixirs that assist in forming a Golden Elixir.
"President Zuo is said to be going to the Enforcement Bureau after graduation."
Mi Yudao shared another piece of gossip he had heard.
Chen Mobai was not interested in this.
He asked for the names of the other two who had extended their graduation and were at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment.
[So, excluding the teachers, there are only three people in the academy I need to be wary of.] After memorizing the names of Zuo Qiushi and the other two at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, Chen Mobai thought to himself.
***
"It's starting."
While they were chatting, the long-awaited main event finally began.
A capable-looking woman with a tall figure, short hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a white shirt and black suit pants, stepped out onto the balcony of the three-story western-style building of the student council.
"She is Hua Zijing, considered the second-in-command of the student council. Zuo Qiushi has rarely shown himself this year, and it's estimated that she will take over as president after his graduation."
Mi Yudao, the know-it-all, immediately introduced her.
Chen Mobai glanced at Hua Zijing, a very distinctive beauty, though her clothing was somewhat conservative, which might have been intentional.
Behind her were two familiar faces to Chen Mobai.
It was Lu Tian Suan and Yuan Jinjun, both members of the student council.
Among them, Yuan Jinjun was holding a Qi Containment Sphere, which was likely the one to be opened today.
Chen Mobai used his Hollow Vision to take a look and discovered a bottle-shaped magical artifact inside.
Hua Zijing took out an artifact fragment and, without any superfluous words, directly invoked the power of the fire attribute divine light.
The crimson light fell into the white jade sphere like a ribbon, instantly turning the seal and spirit liquid into nothingness, revealing the true face of the sealed magical artifact.
It was a bronze pot with an open mouth and a slender handle resembling a long snake. Its appearance was quite impressive.
But after seeing it, Chen Mobai shook his head slightly.
The fluctuation of spiritual energy seemed to be just a lower-tier second-tier magical artifact.
However, at this moment, Chen Mobai noticed that the expressions of several Foundation Establishment cultivators around him were a bit off, showing shock.
"It's the Qing Yuan Treasure Pot!"
Mi Yudao looked at the bronze pot in Hua Zijing's hands, his face full of envy.
At this moment, many academy students who knew the name of the bronze pot began to exclaim in surprise, causing a stir.
"What is the Qing Yuan Treasure Pot?" Chen Mobai didn't understand why such a lower-tier second-tier magical artifact caused such a huge commotion and reaction.
"It's one of the rare storage magical artifacts of the Immortal Gate. Although it's only lower-tier second-tier, in the eyes of some, its value is almost comparable to a third-tier magical artifact."
As a talented student from the Refining Department, Ming Yihua obviously knew the origin of the "Qing Yuan Treasure Pot" and immediately explained to Chen Mobai.
[Oh, it's just a storage bag!] Although he thought this in his heart, Chen Mobai still showed a "shocked" expression in cooperation after hearing it.
In the Tianhe Realm, such an item was the most basic equipment for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
In the near future, if the mines of Kongming Ridge were exploited, even the Qi Refining cultivators of the Shenmu Sect could have one each.
Thinking of this, Chen Mobai subtly covered the storage bag sewn into his wide sleeve.
Hua Zijing, who opened the "Qing Yuan Treasure Pot," was very happy. She held the bronze pot in her snow-white palm, showing it off to the sixty-seven Foundation Establishment cultivators who had gathered in the plaza.
Stimulated by this, students who were planning to wait immediately took out their prepared artifact fragments and opened the Qi Containment Spheres they had long set their sights on at the stalls.
For a while, the fire attribute divine light flashed continuously, like a spectacular crimson fireworks display in this underground cave.
Seeing this scene, Chen Mobai suddenly had a feeling.
This Hua Zijing couldn't be a plant, could she?
The purpose was to stimulate these guys to open Qi Containment Spheres, consuming a batch of spheres that might soon exceed a hundred years of sealing.
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense, but Chen Mobai didn't make a fuss.
He just quietly watched the successive fire attribute divine light.
In an instant, thirteen Qi Containment Spheres were opened, and amidst the flickering spiritual light of second-tier magical artifacts, some people had faces full of joy, while others were full of regret.
Heaven in one cut, hell in another.
No wonder it's called "high-end gambling on stones."
***
After the Qing Yuan Treasure Pot was opened, the entire afternoon saw nineteen artifact fragments used, with the two best magical artifacts being a top-tier second-tier Flowing Light Blade and a red and black robe.
Among them, the black robe with red patterns was the school uniform of the Refining Department, also a traditional ceremonial dress.
Each of the four academies had their own unique attire.
Red and black robe of the Refining Department.
Flying Fish Robe of the Kunpeng Academy.
Colorful Cloud Clothes of the Mending the Sky Academy.
Immortal Green Shirt of the Jumang Academy.
Any one of them, worn out, would attract envious glances from the Immortal Gate public.
Chen Mobai could also apply for one after reaching Foundation Establishment.
However, the academy only issued first-tier quality, and since everyone here was from the Refining Department, it didn't show any superiority, so he was too lazy to collect it.
But the red and black robe that was opened was meticulously woven and refined by a refining master, already at the top-tier second-tier level.
Hua Zijing immediately checked the All Treasures Catalog and found it was left by a Golden Elixir cultivator.
Aside from the Qing Yuan Treasure Pot, this red and black robe was the most precious. The senior sister who got this defensive magical artifact was both excited and conflicted.
Excited because she had made a fortune, conflicted because the size of the red and black robe didn't quite fit her.
"Look, someone shameless is going to open that one."
Ming Yihua pointed to the Qi Containment Sphere priced at 800,000 Good Deeds. Yuan Jinjun, accompanied by another ordinary-looking young man, approached the stall. The latter's eyes shone with a layer of yellow light as he carefully examined it.
"That's the student council's vice president Ming Yu. His Bright Mirror Law Eyes are among the top three in the entire All Treasures Cave for appraising Qi Containment Spheres."
Mi Yudao, the know-it-all, knew everyone.
"Eh, why did he put it down?"
However, contrary to their expectations, after examining the Qi Containment Sphere, Ming Yu shook his head.
Then Yuan Jinjun, who was holding an artifact fragment and eager to open it, immediately lost interest and left with Ming Yu.
"I'll go ask." Mi Yudao had connections everywhere. He quietly slipped into the three-story western-style building to inquire with Lu Tian Suan and soon learned the details.
"Yuan Jinjun learned from you that the Qi Containment Sphere contained the Xuan Yang Cauldron and wanted to snatch it."
"However, he is suspicious by nature and asked Ming Yu to take a look before opening it. After using his Bright Mirror Law Eyes, Ming Yu could only see the cauldron's shape but not the patterns that would prove it was the Xuan Yang Cauldron."
"Since Ming Yu considers his Bright Mirror Law Eyes to be the best in the academy, and he couldn't discern the cauldron's patterns, he concluded that you two were setting a trap with the stall owner to make Yuan Jinjun spend 800,000 Good Deeds on the Qi Containment Sphere as a sucker."
After listening to Mi Yudao's words, Chen Mobai and Ming Yihua looked at each other.
How can the people of the student council be so confident!
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan